Oil-gas apparatus



Dec. l1, 1928.

y A. J. BAssETT OIL GAS APPARATUS Filed May s1. 1924 Ilvd.

Patented' Dec. 11, 192s.

'UNITED ls'mrrisv PJIfENT oFFlcE.

ALVIN J'. BASSETT, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE ,BRUCEMACBETI-I I ENGINE COMPANY, 01E' CLEVELAND, OHIO,

A CORPORATION F OHIO.

oit-'GAS APPARATUS.

Application led May 31,

rl"his invention relates to oil gas produc-ers.

Objects of this invention are to provide an oil gas apparatus in which agreater economy and a quicker action results so that the gas apparatusmay be started with speed than heretofore, and may continue to operatewith an increased eticiency over gas apparatus previously constructed.

Further objects are to provide an oil gas apparatus in whichthe correctproportioning of air and oil for maximumeicie'ncy in gas .stable in itsoperation.

making is maintained regardless of varia-tion -in demand for gas, andIto provide an oil gas apparatus which'is automatic and inherently Anembodiment of the invention is shown in the' accompanying drawing, inwhich: .y The single figure is a vertical sectional view through the oilgas apparatus showing it as it appears whenassociated with the'preheaterfor the air andthe steam generator.

The oil gas apparatus comprises a retort provided .with a main'casing 1. This main casing is completely surrounded by insulat-V ingfire proof material 2 which is preferably carried in a metalliccontainer 3 suitably supported, as illustrated. This casing is providedwith an outlet portion 4 which con! tracts to thejprojper size forconnection to the inlet pipeof the air preheaten The shell l sup Orts aretort tube provided with an enlarge portion 6 providing a partialcombustion chamber-and with a rearwardly eXtending shell 7. This partialcombustion chamber has its forward end preferably lined with arelatively thick heat resisting wall 8, as shown. A retort feed tube 9projects into the retort tube `and is spaced from its forward end.

This retort feed tube 9 is adapted to deliver the air and oil to theretort, and to serve as a 'chamber in which partial combustion of the'vaporizedoil takes placebefore entering the retort tube 7 Iand it istherefore referred to in the claims as a partial combustion oilvaporizing feed tube. 4

The hot oil gases'pass into the air preheater and pass downwardlythrough a central pipe 11 in the steam generator. This air preheater isprovided with a surrounding shell 12 and with an air inlet portion 13adjacent its upper end. The air passes through the inlet portion 13 anddownwardly between the shell 12 and the highly heated central pipe 10.From this point the heated air passes.` through the air delivery pipe 14which is preferably greater .ease and through an oil 1924. 1Serial No.717,071.

embedded in the insulation of the retort. The air passes downwardlythrough the pip-e 15 to the Venturi tube 16 within which the oilv supplynozzle 17 projects.

lIt is preferable in this apparatus to provide an oil chamber 18immediately adjacent the oil nozzle. Thisoil nozzle 17 is provided witha downwardly extending short tube 19 which dips into the oil in thechamber 18. A suitable type of needle valve 20 is provided forcontrolling the iow of oil under certain conditionsand, if desired, a`removable plug 21 may be provided for the oil chamber to give accessthereto..4 This oil chamber is supplied pipe 22 and is provided with anoverflow pipe 23 which extends to a point materially above the lowerportion of the tube l9and which terminates below the center line of thenozzle 17, as shown.

As illustrated inthe drawing, it is preferv able to provide the oilchamber and associated parts as a separate member bolted to the Venturitube 16. This Venturitube, it will be noted, is provided with aremovable. plug 24 for a purpose hereinafter to appear and is carried bythe rear end plate 25-of the retort, a suitable heat insulating Wall 26being pref'- eraly provided'on the inner sid-e of lthis rear wa 5Ifdesired, steam may be supplied the retort through .an inwardlyextending pipe 27. This pipe is connected by means ofthe pipe 28 withthe lower portion of the steam generatoi; 29 such steam generator beingpreferably of the flash type. "It is apparent that the air may be eitherforced in through the opening 13 or that the delivery pipe 30 for theentire apparatus may be connected to a suitable suction device. In factit is obvious that an internal combustion engine could be connected tothe pipe 30 and supply the requisite suction, it being, of course,understood that suitable coolers,

scrubbers and other devices are interposed between the engine and thedelivery pipe 30. If desired, a suitable pyrometer 31 may project intothe retort tube.7 to indicate the temperatures therein.

In starting the apparatus, the plug 24 isretort and the air preheater sothat heated air is immediately supplied the apparatus. The plug Q4 isreinserted and after the retort has attained the requisite temperature,the needle valve is fully opened to permit a predetermined quantity ofoil to How into the apparatus in excess of that needed for completecombustion. The proportioning of the air and oil is attained by theproportioning of the -Tenturi tube, oil nozzle, and air supply, so thatmaximum efficiency for producing gas from the oil is maintainedirrespective of the load upon the apparatus.`

In operation, it has been found that partial combustion begins in theretort feecl'.tube 9- and that further partial combustion and fixing ofthe gases takes place within the enlarged portion of the'combustionchamber. I-Vhen the gases have reached the outer end of the tube 7 ofthe retort, they are completely fixed and no further change takes place.These heated gases` pass rearwardly around the retort and through thedischargeportion 4 to the air preheater and from thence to the steamgenerator. i

The portion of the apparatus adjacent the rear end of the retort tube 7is found to be the hottest part of the system and, if desired, steam maybe admitted through the pipe 27 to increase the hydrogen content of thegases.

It is to be noted that although no constriction of the gases occurs,nevertheless the device provides an extremely long flame travel withinthe retort, such flame travel being roughly three times the entirelengthof the retort, and it is to be not-ed also that this long fiame travelisattained in a compact device.

It is to be noted also that the retort is a closed retort and completelyenclosed by insulating vmaterial and isv initially brought to therequired temperature by heat applied in the inside, whereby fuel isconserved from the time of initiation of combustion through the gasmaking operation. So far as I know this is a novel idea and one of theimportant features of my invention.

It has been found that this type of oil gas apparatus is unusuallyefficient, may be readily started and brought to the requisitetemperature within a very few minutes, and

will continue to operate in a highly efcient` manner for an indefiniteperiod.

It will be seen that an oil gas apparatus has been provided which may bequickly started,

Vwhich will maintain a uniform and high efficiency and which is compactand sturdy in construct-ion. v

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, it isto be understood that the invention may be variously embodied and is,therefore, to be limited only as claimed.

I claim:

l; An oil gas apparatus comprising a closed retort, a retort tube havinga closed end fixed tothe forward end of said retort and spaced from therear wall thereof, and having a rear open end in proximity to said rearwall of the retort, a partial combustion oil Vaporizng feed tubeextended through the rear wall of the retort into the open end of theretort tube and to a point within said retort tube such as to effect thedesired partial combustion of the oil in said feed tube, means forfeeding oil and air into the partial combustion oil vaporizing feedtube, and a gas outletfrom said retort.

Q. The combination specified in claim 1 in which the retort tube isprovided with an enlargement near its fixed end.

3. The combination specified in claim 1 in whichy the exit opening forthe gas is through the forward wall of the retort and outside of theretort tube, whereby the gases are compelled to pass along the outerwall of the re-l tort tube.

4. A partial combustion oil gas generating apparatus comprising a closedretort; a partial combustion oil vaporizing feed tube iutersecting oneend wall of said retort and projected thereinto to a point adjacent theother end; means for feeding oil and air into the wall-intersecting endof said tube; a retort tube closed at one end, spaced from the walls ofthe retort and spaced from and surrounding said feed tube and receivingthe partial .Combustion products from the inner end of said feed tubeand discharging the fixed gases into 'the outer surrounding retort spaceadjacent the wall-intersecting end of said feed. tube; and a gas out-letfrom the retort adjacent the closed end of the retort tube.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee .and State of lVisconsin.

4 ALVIN J. ,BASSET'I

